What NFL players said about voting Tom Brady No. 1

"It’d be insane if he’s not No. 1. Let’s just say that."

Tom Brady celebrates during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks.
–AP Photo/Kathy Willens

By

Rachel Bowers

updated on June 26, 2018

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was voted by his colleagues as the best in the league, topping the NFL Network’s best 100 players list for the second straight year.

En route to his eighth Super Bowl appearance last season, Brady threw for 4,577 yards, leading the league and setting a NFL record for passing yards by a 40-year-old. He also tossed 32 touchdown passes to eight interceptions and finished with a 66.3 completion percentage, third best in his carer.

In the postseason, Brady threw for 1,132 yards (second-most in his postseason career) for eight touchdown passes (second-most) and no interceptions.

Brady, a five-time Super Bowl winner and three-time regular season MVP, including last season, is 223-65 in his career, regular season and playoffs included.

Mike Evans, Bucs receiver: “I wanted to beat him really bad because it’s just the inner kid in me, being a Peyton Manning fan, but it is awesome to share a field with greatness.’’

Derek Carr, Raiders quarterback: “When I look at him, and it’s the same kind of mindset that I try and get myself into from watching him, he stays calm and he just does his job. Let’s lock in on just the little things . . . when you just keep watching him over the years doing those little things over and over again, it’s not some crazy thing. He’s just doing the little things right when it’s hard.

Kirk Cousins, Vikings quarterback: “He’s No. 1 because of the production, the individual statistics, he’s had a revolving door in terms of the supporting cast around him from year to year, and yet he doesn’t miss a beat. We were preparing for the Saints. We watched the Patriots against the Saints and some of the plays he made, he threw a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski off-schedule, just hanging in the pocket, I see that as mobility, I see that as extending a play. It may not be running around, in fact sometimes running around he may look like a baby giraffe, but he finds a way in the pocket to keep his eyes downfield when there’s chaos around him and deliver throws time and time again, especially in big moments.’’

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Russell Wilson, Seahawks quarterback: “The thing about Tom is he’s super clutch. He’s on time. When the game’s on the line, he has no fear.’’

Matthew Slater, Patriots special teams ace: “Played in Pittsburgh this year, a lot on the line for both teams and their season. We’re down, we give the ball to No. 12.

“Time after time, when we’re in a pinch, he’s there to get us out of it.’’

Dion Lewis, Titans running back, on the Patriots’ comeback win over the Steelers last season: “You could sense no panic from anybody in the huddle, and I think it came from him, how confident he was, how focused he was. Looking at his eyes, everybody knew it was time to go.’’

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Fellow Patriot Rob Gronkowski came in at No. 15, up from No. 23 a year ago. Brady and Gronkowski represent the only current Patriots who made the cut.